The Gingerbread Man (1998)

Synopsis: Robert Altman throws his chips into the film noir ring with this stylish, moody thriller that features a spot-on performance by Kenneth Branagh as Rick Magruder, a successful Savannah, Georgia... Robert Altman throws his chips into the film noir ring with this stylish, moody thriller that features a spot-on performance by Kenneth Branagh as Rick Magruder, a successful Savannah, Georgia lawyer. After a party celebrating a major victory, he offers Mallory Doss (Embeth Davidtz), a shy waitress whose car has been stolen, a lift home. Their relationship develops quickly and it isn't long before he sleeps with her. Soon after, however, Rick learns that Mallory's cat has been killed, which she attributes to her religious fanatic father, Dixon Doss (Robert Duvall). As Rick attempts to track Dixon down and protect Mallory from him, a new chain of events is unleashed which threatens to ruin his career and endanger the lives of his two children. Meanwhile, a hurricane looms in the distance, adding even greater tension to Rick's quickly deteriorating situation. As is typical with all of Altman's films, a high-profile cast converges to deliver solid individual performances. Standouts include--in addition to Branagh's hedonistic lawyer--Duvall, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Berenger, Daryl Hannah, and Davidtz. The first John Grisham-inspired film that wasn't adapted from one of the author's novels, THE GINGERBREAD MAN is more film noir than courtroom drama and is rendered suspensefully by maverick director Altman. [More]

Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Embeth Davidtz, Robert Downey, Daryl Hannah

Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Embeth Davidtz, Robert Downey, Daryl Hannah, Tom Berenger, Robert Duvall, Famke Janssen, Jesse James, Mae Whitman, Troy Beyer, Julia Ryder Perce, Danny Darst, Sonny Seiler, Walter Hartridge, Vernon E. Jordan, Lori Beth Sikes, Rosemary Newcott, Wilbur Fitzgerald, David Hirsberg, Paul Carden, Michelle Benjamin Cooper, Christine Seabrook, Bob Minor, Myrna White, Jim Grimshaw, Stuart Greer, Nita Hardy, Ferguson Reid, Benjamin T. Gay, Mark Bednarz, Bill Cunningham, Chip Tootle, Sonny Shroyer, Mike Pniewski, Jay Pearson, L.H. Smith, Wren Arthur, Angela Costrini, Gregory Alpert, Lydia Marlene, Bill Crabb, Jin Hi Soucy, Richie Dye, Chad Darnell

Director: Robert Altman

Director: Robert Altman
Producer: Jeremy Tannenbaum
Story: John Grisham
Screenwriter: Robert Altman
Composer: Mark Isham

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